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37-year-old Turkish ‘terror’ suspect who killed three in Utrecht shooting arrested (VIDEO) 37-year-old Turkish ‘terror’ suspect who killed three in Utrecht shooting arrested (VIDEO)
(about 7 hours later)
The 37-year-old Turkish suspect in the deadly shooting on a tram in the Netherlands has been arrested, Utrecht's police chief has confirmed. The terrorist threat level in Utrecht has been lowered after the Dutch security forces detained the main suspect in the tram mass shooting incident which left three people dead and five injured.
Gökmen Tanis was arrested after a major manhunt following the shooting which authorities have confirmed killed three people and injured nine more. The terror threat level for Utrecht was reduced after the suspect's arrest.  "The suspect has been arrested. The suspect is now in custody," Police spokesman Rob van Bree told reporters on Monday evening after a massive security operation managed to track down the tram shooter, identified by police earlier as 37-year-old Gökmen Tanis.
A police spokesperson said Tanis was arrested on Oudenoord street near where a red Renault Clio which he was believed to have been driving was found. Tanis has been on the run ever since he killed three people and injured five others during a Monday morning attack on a tram at the 24 Oktoberplein in Utrecht. Prior to the suspect's arrest, authorities managed to track down a red Renault Clio that Tanis used to flee the crime scene. The arrest of the Turkish suspect by the Special Interventions Service (DSI) took place off the Oudenoord, about a kilometer away from where the getaway car was discovered.
The attack prompted Dutch police to be put on high alert, with military police sent to national airports, railways stations and major roads as citizens were advised to stay indoors. Schools were also closed while the hunt was underway. Police are now questioning the alleged shooter, but his motivation for the attack remains unclear. Authorities are working under the assumption that the mass shooting was a terrorist attack. "Because of the witness statements and evidence collected, we are considering a terrorist motive," Public Prosecutor's office spokesman Rutger Jeuken told reporters, stressing that "we cannot exclude other motives."
Dutch Prime Minister Rutte said during a press conference that the suspect's motive is still unclear and that there are “many questions and rumors.” Earlier the Dutch counter-terror agency said it appears to be a terror attack. While security forces continue their investigation, authorities went on to lower the counter-terrorism threat in Utrecht province from the highest alert, Level 5, down to Level 4. Earlier, military police were deployed to national airports, railways stations, and major roads while the hunt was underway. During Monday’s massive manhunt operation, authorities also detained two unnamed individuals in connection with the shooting. They are now being questioned.
Utrecht police had warned citizens to watch out for Tanis but not to approach him. Sources told BBC Turkish that the 37-year-old had previously been arrested over “suspected links” to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) a few years ago, but was later released.
Following the attack, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the Turkish intelligence agency is investigating whether it was linked to terror or "personally motivated."
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